Permutation lock



O. H. STOLBERG PERMUTATION LOCK Filed Nov. 29. 1920 IN VEN TOR ATTORNEYS Patented July 8, 1924.

is] N H T OTTO H. STOLBERG, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

Application filed November 29, 1920. Serial No. 426,939.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, O'rro H. S'roLBERc, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Permutation Locks, whereof the following isa specification;

This invention .relates to permutation locks, and is designed as an improvement on the same subject matter as my former application, filed February 20, 1920, Serial No. 360,156, for lock casings. i v The invention may be best understood from a study of the accompanying one sheet of drawing and the subjoined description thereof. In the drawing I have shown so much of a lock of the automobile type as is necessary to an understanding of the invention illustrated by it.

1 Figure 1 is a face View of the dial of the Figure 2 is a plan of theinner dial; plate or permutation plate, as it would appear if viewed from the line-2, 2, of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3, 3, of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view, on the line.

3, 3, of Figure 1, showing on a larger scale, the push button 7 and its train of stem sections in the same position as in Figure 3,-

that is with the ignitionhandle in its off position and looked, all the parts being in section. 1

Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure a, but with the ignition handle away from its oif position, and the flange plate partly oscillated thereby.

Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 3, but on a larger-scale, showing the push 'button 7 in its normal position locking the ignition handle, anda spring immediately under the button to return it to that position;

In the figures :The front plate 1, the

middle plate 2, and the back plate 3 are se-' cured togetherby bolts 4, and are spaced apart for a purpose which willpresently appear, by thimbles'5, which may be sleeved on the bolts 4, asshown in Figure 3.

The front, plate 1 is the l the lock, and is perforated by a series of holes in which are fitted push buttons 6, 7, .etc., in any desired number, though I have thought it necessary to mark only two with letters of re er nce. The. Plate 1 is also perforated by a preferably central hole, in which is fitted the ignition shaft 8, operated by the ignition handle 9. Both plates 2 and 3 are also perforated in register with the perforation in plate'l. At its inner end the shaft 8, which extends through all three plates, may have an arm 10, or other device controlled by it, for opening and closing the lgnition circuit, or for such other purpose as the lock is used for. The ignition shaft 8 may be hollowed and through it extend a shaft 11 for controlling the lights, or for other purpose.

The push buttons are each of them provided with a flange 12, to limit their projection from the plate 1, by engaging the inner side of it, and the point to which'they. may be pushed back is limited by the plate 2. Projecting inward from the back of each push button is a stub stem 13, long enough to project into the plate 2, and be guided thereby. Within the plate 2 and in line with stubs 13 are other stem sections 14 of a length to reach the inner side of plate 2, when the button, as 7, is pushed to its inner limit. Against the inner end of stem section 14 is a ball 15 and against the ball 15 is another stem section 16, which bears against a spring 17 which spring 17 bears, at'its opposite end against a stop 18. The stop maybe in the form of a set screw secured to plate 3, as shown particularly in Figures 4 and 5 and which may be removed, and the spring and several stem sections ineluding theball, taken out to replace them The operation of the mechanism is as fol- V lows A spacing block 20 may be inserted between stub 13 and 'stem section 14 in conneotionwith any of the buttons, as seen in connection with button 6 Figure 3, and thus cause stem section 14 to reach disc 19. In

this position no resistance is offered thereby to the oscillation or rotation of the disc, unless theflbuttonbe pushed, in which case stem section 14 will enter the disc, and prevent its movement. The ends of the stem sections, 14 and 16, are preferably rounded to ensure easy movement of plate 19 across them. If block 2O be omitted, as seen in nnect on with been 7 Fi f? 31 disc can be moved, and the ignition handle oscillated. i 7

Only the push but-tons unprovided with I blocks 20 are to be pressed in to release the ignition handle, and they must all be in as far as they willgo to unlockthe handle. If any one of them be overlooked. or any of 7 those buttons which have the blocks be pushed, the handle will remain 7 locked. Upon releasing a. button, it is returned to its normal position, by spring 17, when th'ehan dle 9 is in off position, and by spring-21, if the handle is away. from off position, as seen in Figure 5. Spring 21 being ofless strength than spring 17, so when the ignition handle is in its off position, stems-13 and 14:,

will come together as seen in Figure 4. In the form shown in Figure 6, spring 22 may take the place of spring 21, and return the button to its outer, or normal, position upon releasing the pressure thereon. In this forma collar 23 may be applied to the under side of the button to provide space for the compressed spring, and give a position limitation to the movement of the button.

While the ignition handle 9, is away from off position, the balls 15, of all the buttons, are in their respective holes in plate 19, and should so remain until the handle 9 returns to off position. The holes in plate 19 must be so spaced or arranged that none of the balls can fall into the wrong hole. This may b accomplished by limiting the angular play of handle 9, and placing the holes at a greater angular distance from each other, or by putting'each hole at a different distance from the center from all the others; have, however, provided stops 24 for that purpose. 5 v W Having thus describedmy invention, and an embodiment of it, in the full, clear and exact terms required by law, andknowing that it' comprises novel, useful andvaluable improvements in the art to which it pertains, I hererstate that I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction and arrangement of the several parts, as herein set forth, as the same may bevariously modified by a skilled mechanic without de+ parting from the spirit of the: invention.

What I-claimanddesiretosecure by Let ters Patent of the United States, is the following, to wit 1. A permutation lock provided with a rotating shaft and a plurality of plates havin re ist'erin erfor'ations one of said D i b 7 lates Secured to said shaft and rotatable with a stud, stems operated by said but tons and adapted tofen'g'age said disc", said buttons provided withsprings adapted to release said engagement with said disc;

3. A permutation lock, coniprising a rotating, shaft and plates having" registering perforations} one of said plates secured to said shaft and rotating therewith, pushbnttons provided with stub sten'i's' projecting into said perforations and having aliinited play th'erein',-sprin'gs in said perforations, said buttons provided with; interchangeable stems engaging the rotatable plate adapted to permit 'orrprevent its rotationand said springs adapted to hold said interchang able stems in position against said. stub stems of said push buttons.

4. A permutation lock having aarot'ary shaft carryinga disc, perforations said disc, interchangeable stems'in'sai'd perforations, buttons engaging said stems coil spring in'each perforation adapted to release said engagement. l I

5. A permutation lock, comprising aperforated rotatable member, buttons'provided with studs engaging the perforations in said member interchangeable'stems movable in said perforations and'means for adjusting the position of said stems with reference to said rotatable member; H V

6. A: permutation lock, ,comprising, front plate, a middle p late'and a back plate, perforations in sa-id'plat'es', a perforatetl rotatable disc registering" withj' s'ajid plate-s, means to rotatensaid disc, allocking'ildevice forsaid disc consisting of sectional' stenis in said perforations, push buttons engaging said stems tooperate the same into looking or unlocking'position. M l

7 A permutation lock, comprisinga plurality of. perforatedplates and a" rotary shaft carrying a perforated disc, interchangeable stemsein saidpejrforations' adapted to lock said disc in position, buttonsiprovided with studs. ada movements ofsa'id st'e; s and prtngmean s in saidperforations aide; ed ts release said locking engagement ofisa d stems;

8. A permutati' h lock comprisin'g'fstationary perforated plates, a re "ryshaft i carryinga per-foratjed disc registering with said plates, interchangeable stems" in said perforations adapted to lock said disc in an ted meontrojlth inoperated position, buttons provided with studs engaging said stems and controlling their movements and springs in said perforations adapted to release the locking engagement of said stems.

9. A permutation lock comprising, a front plate, a middle plate and a back plate, perforations in said plates, an ignition rotatable shaft fitted in one of said perfora tions of each plate, a perforated disc car ried by said shaft and located between said middle and back plates, means adapted to lock said shaft against rotation, consisting of a series of buttons having each a stem adapted to engage said perforations in said plates and disc, movable sectional stems in said perforations adapted to be operated by said buttons and look said shaft in an inoperative position.

10. A. permutation lock having a front and a back plate, perforations in said plates, an ignition rotatable shaft fitted in one of said perforations of each plate, a perforated disc between said plates, carried by said shaft, means adapted to lock said shaft against rotation consisting of a plurality of OTTO H. STOLBERG. 

